MEET NUMBER 691. Not the same as 690 and decidedly different from 692.
In this era of mass manufacturing, “made in China,” outsourcing and disposable everything, it’s comforting to know that one-of-a-kind not only exists but flourishes.
The acoustic guitar shown here was made by hand in the Evanston shop of Richard Brune, a luthier. It’s a profession that you might not expect to be thriving in today’s throwaway world. But Brune has more work than he can get to.
This is the 691st guitar Brune has made and that sounds like quite a few. But it’s not all that many when you consider that he’s been in business for more than 40 years. Each guitar is a work of art, distinct not only in look but, more importantly, in sound.
The owner of this one put down 20 per cent of the cost ($2,000) and waited. “I didn’t pester him. I figured he’d call me when he was ready. And he did. It took four years,” he says.
Was it worth the wait? “Absolutely,” says the professional classical guitarist from Michigan whose new guitar was delivered last year. “I love playing it.”
Today, the wait for a custom-made Brune guitar is even longer–six years or more. And those who put their names on the list don’t even know what they’ll have to pay. “It’ll be like lobster in a restaurant: market price,” Brune says. It all depends on how much more his property taxes at 800 Greenwood St. continue to skyrocket.
“If I’m not doing anything else I can crank out 24 guitars in a year,” says 58-year-old Brune. But he often is doing other things, like restoring priceless instruments, doctoring sickly guitars, giving lectures and writing scholarly articles.
“With care they will last, literally, forever,” Brune says of his guitars, which now number 697. “It’s such a thrill to know that each instrument was born in the shop. They’re all like my little daughters,” the luthier says.
He’s proud and content to know that 691 is now at home in Michigan with her sister, number 427, who came to life in Brune’s shop 10 years ago.
———-
Read Ellen’s shopping adviser column every Thursday in the Tribune’s At Play section and join the conversation at chicagotribune.com/ellen. shopellen@tribune.com
